Sudden Arrivals
by Zammie4eva
Summary: it's after the Chuunin Exams and Gaara's still hanging around the Leaf village, what happens when Naruto catches him watching him in the hospital? Better summary inside. kinda drabble-like. for Gaara X Itachi


**Sudden Arrivals**

**After the Chuunin Exams, Gaara is hanging around Konoha, always watching Naruto. What happens when Naruto catches him?**

The redhead looked through the window where the blonde boy who had defeated him was lying in bed.

It had been less than two days since the battle between the two boys and Gaara wasn't at his best, as he had refused to accept treatment for his wounds.

But unlike the blonde, he was alert and watchful. Gaara shifted in the tree he was perched in, watching the blonde as he slept in the hospital bed.

The boy mumbled something in his sleep and rolled in the bed, Gaara stilled in case his movements attracted attention, and watched the blonde blinked sleepily before falling asleep again.

Gaara sighed in relief and closed his eyes. Had hadn't been detected.

He had no idea why he was hanging around the blonde's hospital room. He should be taking advantage of his weak state and kill him.

But for some reason, he just couldn't attack an unarmed and injured opponent.

It shouldn't have mattered, But it did.

"How long have you been there?"

The words were so unexpected Gaara literally fell from the branch, and had to scramble to get his bearings.

It was not dignifying. The blonde at the window giggled.

Gaara scowled. "What do you think you're laughing at Uzumaki?" he snapped.

Immediately the blonde silenced. Gaara felt bad. He felt a coldness in his chest at seeing the boy's smile disappear.

He remembered his words after their battle.

"I'm sorry. You startled me." He said instead.

The blonde blinked.

"What?" he said defensively.

"One; you just apologised. Two; I actually startled you. I thought neither was possible," Naruto replied.

"Well now it is," Gaara said stoically.

Naruto giggled again. "You're funny."

Gaara raised his invisible eyebrows. "I am?" he asked, like a couldn't believe it.

And he couldn't believe it. No one had ever said that to him before.

Naruto pat the windowsill with one hand. "Come down here,"

"What? You want me to come down? Why?" Gaara asked.

"Well it'll be more comfortable than up there in that tree wouldn't it?"

"Why would you even care? Last time I checked we were trying to kill each other," Gaara said tightly.

Was he trying to lure him into a trap?

"I wasn't trying to kill you. I was trying to stop you killing my friends. Of course I would've killed you if I had to, but that doesn't mean I was trying to," Naruto said.

Gaara was silent.

"Besides, during that fight, I'd like to think we both learned something from it. And I learned that there was someone else like me, that has suffered the same pain I have, and I feel like I'm not alone anymore,"

Gaara remained silent.

Naruto grinned. "Heh. You probably think I'm an idiot," he said.

"No." Gaara said, surprising them both.

Naruto blinked, confused. He looked up at Gaara questioningly.

Gaara looked up at the cloudless sky, thinking about what he wanted to say next. What words could he use to describe Naruto?

"Your ability to protect those closest to you no matter what, is rather extraordinary. The drive to not give up is a rare quality, and those in the Leaf seem to share that trait. But not as strongly as you." Gaara said.

"You are far from an idiot in my eyes, and those you see you as one don't know what they're looking at. You can understand people to such a degree that it changes them, you have a personality so bright not even the darkest of moments can extinguish it. Your bravery outstands those with higher skills than your own. Your ability to put faith in others is something I've never seen before."

Gaara looked down and smiled a little, something that, though odd and foreign to him, seemed appropriate for his next words.

"I've learned from that ability. You could say I'm trying to redeem myself. For if someone who has suffered as I have, can grow into a person like you, than I must have given up too early. With effort, I believe, I can one day become like you. And better myself as a person, not to be seen as a demon." He finished.

Naruto blinked a few times.

"…You really think that?"

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have said it Uzumaki," Gaara said matter-of-factly.

"Hey, just call me Naruto. We're friends now." Naruto said.

It was Gaara's turn to blink.

"Friends?" he question.

"Yup!" Naruto smiled.

"…I've never had a friend before." Gaara said quietly.

Instead of suggesting Gaara come down to him again, he jumped out the window and climbed up the tree to the branch Gaara sat at.

"Well you do now." He said.

There was shuffles from inside the hospital and a light switched on.

"I have to go back inside." Naruto said. "Stick around, I get out tomorrow, you and me will go get ramen together okay?"

"O…Okay."

As Naruto smiled and waved at him before he snuck back into bed, Gaara felt a warm feeling in his chest.

Gaara got down from the tree, smiling to himself as he walked away.

He'd never had a friend before. It was a good feeling.

**The end**

**A/N**

**Should I continue this?**

**Sorry I haven't updated in AGES but I've had SERIOUS WRITER'S BLOCK SO IF ANYONE CAN THINK OF ANYTHING THEY WANT ME TO WRITE ABOUT **_**PLEASE LET ME KNOW I NEED IDEAS! **_**Any requests, any at all, don't hesitate to shout 'em out! Thank you.**


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